The present invention relates to mounting systems for windshields, more particularly for windshields on motorcycle, scooters, and the like.
A number of mounting systems have been developed for motorcycle windshields, and certain of these have achieved very widespread commercial success. For example, the systems described in U.S. Pat Nos. 4,379,584 and 4,489,973 have been very successful. The assignee of the present invention has pioneered this kind of glue-on attachment between the shield and the rod, and this application has a number of advantages and characteristics.
In addition, there are a number of mounting systems, somewhat less sophisticated, that use various fasteners extending through the windshield. These systems all use threaded rods or bolts, or other fasteners to hold them in place. However, these in turn require sleeves, grommets or other vibration-isolating parts between the rod and the shield. In some of these constructions, the rods are surrounded by rubber or plastic sleeves and extend through the windshields, and in other constructions, the rods terminate behind the windshield, and are secured in place by sleeve-isolated fasteners which in turn extend through the windshield.
However, there are a number of drawbacks to such systems. The first, from a manufacturing standpoint, is that of cost. Because of the need for fasteners, more parts than would be optimally indicated are used. In addition, where fasteners are required, this involves machining one end of the rod as well as creating an upset portion or the like for holding the shield in place. The rod may in one case be machined for axial insertion of a screw. This requires that two and perhaps more cooperating parts be machined so as to fit together.
In addition, and perhaps more important, is the question of reliability. With installations that require a washer or flange or a threaded rod with a grommet or sleeves, there is virtually always the question of reliable installation. Because these windshields are bought separately in many cases and installed on the cycle, the ability to install them precisely has always created a question. If the bolts are too tight, the grommet or sleeve is essentially over-tightened and excess strain is placed on the windshield. If the installation is too loose, there is a possibility of vibration and further loosening or even failure in use.
Accordingly, it would be a considerable advantage if there were an installation system which was extremely low in cost and which would be completely reliable in use. That is, that there would only be one correct position of installation, and that this would be the position to which the parts would naturally move. With such an installation, there would be no doubt about the proper manner of installing the same, or the degree to which it was installed. This is because the assembly would be made in two simple steps, both of which would be foolproof.
Another advantage would be to provide a shield that would have some slight freedom of adjustment without affecting its reliability of installation. This would enable the shield to be adjusted slightly once emplaced.
In view of the foregoing background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a low cost, highly reliable shield installation and method.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting system that would require only drilling or machining a pair of mounting holes in the shield or fairing for installation of a particularly shaped, novel ball socket unit.
Yet another object of the present invention is, in one embodiment, to form a combination ball socket, vibration absorber and rod mounting system for a windshield.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a shield which could be mounted with any number of different style rods, whether or not cylindrical throughout their entire extent, and having a variety of bends or curves.
A further object of the present invention is to create a ball socket having a cavity centralized within the mounting body so that the hollow cavity would allow the elastomeric socket body to collapse readily for purposes of installation.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a mounting system which, once the ball on the end of the rod is inserted into the ball-mounting socket, would become a virtually solid unit.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a mounting system which would allow for slight adjustments to be made to the handlebar without destroying the stability of the installation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting system with a predetermined pull-out force, so that, in the event of an accident, the shield could be freed from its mounting.
Yet another object of the present invention would be to make the pull-out force variable and adjustable merely by resizing the ball diameter, or making the socket from rubber of a different hardness or durometer.
Still another object of the present invention is to have a device against which the force exerted during the ball-end pull out could be arranged so as to be satisfactory throughout a ranges of different temperatures.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a ball socket which is surrounded, in the central part of the body, by a form of ball socket cutout or cavity which allows only for placing the rod in the socket at a particular angle, and in which the socket includes a pair of relatively flat shield-engaging flanges adapted to lie on either side of the windshield to secure the grommet in place.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide various non-circular types of mounting, whereby a cutout of a modified triangular or other shape would be milled into the windshield to receive the corresponding shape of an exterior of the ball socket body.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in practice by providing a rod having an end with a ball, preferably machined, on the end thereof and inserted in a socket unit having a major part of its internal surface spherical and the remainder forming an entrance for the rod end, the socket body being surrounded by a pair of flanges each extending radially outwardly on either side of the windshield from a generally spherical portion of the socket body.
The manner in which these and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in practice will become more clearly apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention set forth by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout.